Railway truck structure



Dec. 31, 1940. BUSSE 2,226,551

RAILWAY TRUCK STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 6, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I F|G.4.

INVENTOR EDWIN G. BUSSE BYQ ATTORNEY Dec. 31, 1940. E G. U E

- RAILWAY TRUCK STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 6, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6.

F l G. 7.

Dec. 31, 1940. E G. BUSSE RAILWAY TRUCK STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 6, 1938 s Sheets-$heet 3 Q INVENTOR EDWIN G. BUSSE BY L/ ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 31, 1940 RAILWAY TRUCK STRUCTURE Edwin G. Busse, Chicago, 111., assignor to Chicago Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application January 6, 1938, Serial No. 183,602

14 Claims.

The invention relates to railway trucks and more particularly to the structure whereby the brake beam is supported and guided in its movement towards and from the truck wheels.

The usual support for the brake beam on the truck frame utilizes a swinging link, mounted on suitable hanger brackets provided on the upper portion of the frame, with its lower end received in a recess in the brake head to suspend the latter. Frequently other devices forming a safety support for the beam, and sometimes a guide for the beam, are provided, the same being carried by the truck side frame or spring plank or bolster.

In my copending application Serial No. 183g601 filed of even date herewith, now Patent No. 2,197,785 issued April 23, 1940, I have illustrated and described various structures mounted on the truck side. frame and engaging the beam at a point inwardly from its end to support and guide the beam and thereby eliminate the necessity of the usual brake hanger referred to above.

The present invention has the same general object of supporting the brake beam from the side frame independently of the usual hanger arrangement, but has the additional object of engaging the beam structure at the extreme end thereof and, more articularly, to engage the brake head or, where the customary truss type beam is used, to engage the tensioning nut on the end of the beam or a nut seating member. Preferably the supporting element is not a part of the body of the beam and the beam standard parts which are heavily stocked by railroads may be used without modification and without foregoing the advantages of the side frame support.

It is an additionalobject of the invention to provide a side frame supporting structure which will not interfere with the carrying of the beam by the usual swing hangers if it is desired to apply a beam assembly which is not equipped for the side frame support arrangement.

These and other detailed objects, as will appear from the following specification, are attained by the structures illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of one-half of a railway truck frame with associated parts and including one form of the invention.

'Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

The above figures indicate the usual brake hanger and its bracket in dot and dash lines merely to illustrate the adaptation of the brake beam to such a support if required irrespective" 5r of the other support elements provided.

Y the brake shoe.

tially on the line 8-8 of Figure 7. 5

Figure 9 corresponds to Figure 8 but illustrates another modification.

Figure 10 corresponds to Figure 7 but illustrates another modification.

Figure 11 is a rear view of the structure shown in Figure 10.

- Figures 12 and 13 correspond to Figures 10 and 11 but illustrate another form of the invention.

Figure 14'shows the front-of the brake head and the adjacent frame structure embodying another modification.

Figure 15 is a vertical. section taken on the line l5-l5 of Figure 14.

The truck of Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, includes a familiar type of side frame comprising a tension member I, a compression member 2, a pair of struts 3, the compression and tension members converging and having the journal box 4. integral .with their ends. The box receives and rests upon the journal 5 of the axle which mounts the 35 wheels.

The brake beam is of A. A. R. standard truss type construction and comprises a compression member 6, a tension member 1, a brake head 8 which serves as a thrust block to seat the nut 9 applied to the threaded end of tension member I.

The beam will include the usual strut (not shown) and renewable shoes In held to the shoe by the key ll.

The brake head has the usual elements and 45 contour for receiving the ends of the beam tension and compression members and for mounting Itdiffers from the usual head in having its vertical reinforcing web J2, which extends transversely to the wheel tread, offset in- 50 wardly of the truck, and in having spaced flanges I 3 project from web I! towards the end of the beam and the outer face of the-head. These flanges are inclined to the vertical longitudinally of the side frame and are disposed to coincide u with similarly inclined bracket elements l4 formed on the inner face of the side frame and extending inwardly to a point adjacent web l2 and overlapping flanges I3. Preferably the lower flange'l3 and the lower bracket element l4 are provided with renewable wear plates I 5 and I 6, respectively, of hardened material whereby the proper height of the beam may be maintained and variation in its movement towards and from the wheel may be avoided or reduced to a minimum. Preferably a spring S is compressed between lugs I8 and IS on the brake head and side frame bracket, respectively, and serves to supplement gravity in returning the beam to normal position after the air pressure has been released.

The elements I3 and I4 form the entire support and guiding means for the beam but the head includes the usual recess adapted to receive the hanger indicated in dot and dash lines at I! but to be used only if the beam is applied to a truck not having bracket members l4 arranged to cooperate with the head flanges l3.

Obviously all parts of the beam are interchangeable with like parts of similar beams and the support arrangement does not interfere with the usual practice of renewing tension members or heads as may be required by wear, stretching,

or injury.

Figure 5 illustrates a modification in which the head 20 has its reinforcing rib 2| located centrally in the usual manner and the support engaging flanges 22 formed on rib 2| project outwardly beyond the end of the beam and the outer .face of the head, and the cooperating bracket elements 23 on the side frame are shortened correspondingly and terminate short of the outer face of the brake head instead of extending into overlapping relation with the same as shown in Figure 2. Otherwise the parts are substantially alike in their construction and functioning.

Figure 6 illustrates a construction very similar to that shown in Figure 5 but the flange elements 25 on the brake head are formed separately and are secured to the head web 26 by suitable elements such as bolts 21. This arrangement makes possible the support of old brake beams by the bracket elements 28 on the side frame and possesses the additional advantage that any supported flange on the brake head may be easily replaced if damaged or unduly worn.

Figures '7 and 8 show a beam having a sleeve nut tightening device 30, of the type illustrated in my Patent No. 2,094,034, applied to the beam tensioning member 3|, but includes a pair of ribs 32 projecting outwardly from the end of tension member 3| and compression member 33 and beyond the outer face of brake head 34 to cooperate with bracket elements 35 on the side frame.

Figure 9 illustrates an arrangement which is similar to the extent that the beam is supported through the tensioning device 36 but the latter includes a single outwardly projecting rib 31 slidable between bracket elements 38 formed on the side frame.

Figures 10 and 11 illustrate the support of a similar brake beam through a washer member 40 applicable to the outer face of the brake head 4| beneath the sleeve nut 42 and having outwardly projecting inclined flanges 43 disposed to cooperate with bracket elements 44 on the side frame. With this arrangement nut 42 may be turned to any angle without affecting the inclination of the beam elements engaging the side frame bracket.

Figures 12 and 13 illustrate a modification in which the brake head 50 has outwardly pro jecting inclined flanges 5| spaced apart sufliciently to receive between them the bracket elements 52 on the side frame, and elements 52 have slots 53 extending longitudinally of the frame. A pin 54 passes through perforations in flanges 5i and slots 53 to retain the head and beam against undue lateral play relative to the side frame. This arrangement comprises an additional safety factor and tends to avoid accidents arising from dropping of the beam because of the breaking of some of the parts.

In Figures 14 and 15 the part of the head or beam structure which engages the frame bracket elementsv 55 consists of a part 56 formed separately from the head and having lugs 51 adapted to extend into the recesses usually provided in the upper and lower portions of the brake head for brake hanger links. This device is held in assembled relation with the brake head by the usual brake key 58. The outer projection 59 engages the bracket elements 55 on the frame.

It :is contemplated that some features may be used in each form of the invention, if desired, although not illustrated in connection therewith. Examples are the renewable wear plates on the interengaging surfaces of the supported and supporting elements of the different structures, and the return or release spring feature may be included in the various modifications.

The drawings indicate the beams as lying parallel to the rail but they may be inclined so that the center line of the beam struts intersect the axle axis, both arrangements being in common use.

In all forms of the invention, the brake head 'is indicated as having a recess for receiving the brake hanger which may be applied to the beam when the latter is to be placed in a hanger type truck, and the parts cooperating with the side frame bracket will not interfere with the use of the hanger.

Obviously modifications in the structure other than those illustrated and described may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of such modifications as come within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway truck, a truss type brake beam beam, a side frame, and an element thereon projecting inwardly of the truck and engaging said member and forming the sole support for the adjacent end of said beam, said member and eleiii ment maintaining the angular positionof said beam as the brakes are applied.

2. In a railway truck, a side frame,abrake beam havingaheadadjacent said side frame and including a shoe supporting body and a web extendingat right angles to its shoe mounting face, a bracket on said side frame extending inwardly therefrom past the outer face of said head body, and an element on said head engaging said bracket to support the beam.

3. In a railway truck, a side frame, a brake beam having a head adjacent said side frame and including a web extending at right angles to its shoe mounting face and located at the side of the head spaced from said side frame, a"

an element projecting laterally from said web and engaging said bracket to support the beam.

4. In a railway truck, a brake beam comprising a compression member, a tension member, a brake head, a washer surrounding said tension member and bearing against said brake head, and a tensioning device seated against said washer, said washer including a flange projecting outwardly beyond said tensioning device, and a side frame including a bracket extending inwardly of the truck and engaging said flange to support said beam.

5. In a railway truck, a brake beam comprising a compression member, a tension member, a brake head, a washer surrounding said tension member and bearing against said compression member, and a tensioning device seated against said washer, said washer including spaced flanges located above and below said tensioning device and projecting therefrom outwardly beyond the end of the beam, and a side frame including correspondingly spaced brackets extending inwardly of the truck and engaging said flanges to support said beam and to maintain the angular relation of the same to the brake wheel in braking operations.

6. In a railway truck, a side frame, a brake beam comprising a compression member, a tension member, a brake head and a tensioning device seated against the outer face of said head, said head including elements spaced above and below said tensioning device and extending outwardly of the beam, and bracket structure on said side frame extending inwardly therefrom to engage said elements.

7. In a railway truck, a side frame part, and a brake beam comprising a compression member,

a brake head part seated thereon, a tension member extending through said brake head part and a tension adjusting element seated on said head part, there being structure projecting'from one of said parts and including elements extending a substantial distance longitudinally of the-truck and slidably engaging the other of said parts to support the adjacent end of said brake beam and maintain the angular relation of the latter to the truck wheels as the brakes are applied.

8. In a railway truck, a side frame with inwardly projecting brackets providing vertically spaced bearings inclined to the vertical longitudinally of the truck, and a brake beam comprising a compression member part, a brake head part seated thereon, a tension member part extending through said brake head, and a tension adjusting part seated on said head part and engaging said tension member part,'there being structure projecting from one of said parts and including elements extending a substantial distance longitudinally of the truck and slidably engaging said bearing to support said brake beam and maintain its angular relation to the truck wheels as the brakes are applied.

9. In a railway truss type brake beam, a compresssion member, a brake head seated thereon, a tension member extending through said brake head, a tensioning device engaging said tension member andseated on said brake head, and elements projecting from said head beyond the end .and including a web extending at right angles to its shoe mounting face, and elements extending from said web outwardly beyond the end of 1 said compression member and spaced from each other to form bearings for engaging a beam supporting bracket structure on an adjacent truck frame, a tension member extending through said web, a tensioning device engaging said tension 20 member and seated on said head and operable without interfering with said elements.

12. In a railway truss type brake beam, a compression member, a tension member, a brake head, a washer surrounding said tension member 25 and bearing against said brake head, and a-tensioning device seated-against said washer and engaging said tension member, said washer including a flange projecting longitudinally of the beam beyond said tensioning device and provided with spaced bearing elements for engaging beam supporting structure on a truck part.

13. A railway truck brake beam including a compression member, a head seated thereon and having a shoe mounting face extending longitudinally of the beam and a web extending rearwardly from said face and transversely of the beam, a tension member extending through said web, a tension device seated on said head and engaging said tension member, there being a recess in said head for receiving a beam supporting hanger in the usual manner, and structure on said web projecting therefrom longitudinally of the beam and arranged to slidably engage a bearing on an adjacent part'of the truck for supporting the beam and guiding it in its movement towards and from the truck wheels independently of a hanger mounted in said recess.

14. In a railway truck, a truck frame, structure mounted thereon for carrying the truck load, a truss type brake beam including a compression member, a brake head seated thereon, a tension member extending through said brake head, a tensioning device engaging said tension member and seated on said brake head, and elements projecting from said head beyond the end of the beam and spaced vertically from each other and from said'tensioning device and adapted to support the beam from the adjacent portion of the frame, said brake head being provided with a hanger receiving recess spaced from said elements, said elements being detachable from said head to provide for the dropping of the brake beam from its normal operating position in the frame and load carrying structure.

EDWIN G. BUSSE. 

